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W. H. WADDINGHAM AND A. TAYLOR. MEANS roa CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF AIR T0 TORPEDO TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1919'.

1,304,422: Patented May 20, 1919.

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W. H. WADDINGHAM AND A. TAYLOR. MEANS FOR CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF AIR T0 TORPEDO TUBES- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. I919.

1,304,422. Patented May 20, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NORRIS PEYERS co. puma-Limo vusumanm. A r;

UNITED srnrus PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HART WADDINGHAM AN'D ARTHUR TAYLOR, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND, ASSIG-NORS TO SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH AND COMPANY, LIMITED, OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND.

MEANS FOR CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY OF AIR T0 TORPEDO-TUBES.

Application filed February 14, 1919.

F0 all whom it may concern Be it lmown that we,IV1LL1AM HART IVAD- DINGHAM and ARTHUR TAYLOR, subjects of the King of Great Britain, both residing at Elswick Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Eng

an interrupter in the firing mechanism which is actuated by the diaphragm.

The annexed drawings show an apparatus made in accordance with this invention. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the general arrangement, and Figs. 2, 3, 4:, and 5 are elevations partly in section of that part of the apparatus to which the present invention especially relates, the parts in these figures belng shown in difierent positions.

In Fig. 1, 10 is an air reservoir from which leads a pipe 101 to a piston valve 11 which controls a supply of air to a torpedo tube 12 to which it is connected by a pipe 121. Between the valve 11 and the torpedo tube 12 is an expansion chamber 13 and a non return valve 14 as is usual.

Referring to Figs. 25, 15 is a diaphragm whose underside is in communication by means of a passage 151 with the pipe 101 leading to the air reservoir 10. Above the diaphragm 15 is a plunger 16 which is continually pressed toward the diaphragm by a spring 161 in a cylinder 162, the tension of the spring 161 being regulated by means of a cap 163 which screws on to the cylinder 162. A lever 17 is pivoted at 171 one end 172 of which engages with the plunger 16 and on the other end is a distance piece 17 3 located between a striking lever 18 and the stem 191 of a small firing valve 19, which is held upon its seat 192 by a spring 193. The piston valve 11 is held upon its seat 111 by a spring 112 and air from the pipe 101 passes to the upper side of the piston valve 11, through passages 151 and 113.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20,1919.

Serial No. 277,000.

The striking lever 18 is pivoted at 181 and is connected by a link 182 to a cocking lever 20. The cooking lever 20 is pivoted at 201 and is connected to a spring 202 and is held inthe position shown in Fig. 2 by the projection 21 on a solenoid plunger. In Fig. 2 the parts are in the position in which the pressure in the air reservoir 10 may be charged. The operation is as follows:

When the air reservoir is charged and the pressure has arisen to a predetermined pressure, the diaphragm 15 and the plunger 16 are moved against the action of the spring 161 and the lever 17 being turned up on its pivot, the distance piece 173 is moved between the striking-lever 18 and the end of the valve stem 191, as is shown in Fig. 3. The torpedo is fired by withdrawing the projection 21 and allowing the spring 202 to turn the cooking lever 20 upon its pivot and force forward the striking lever 18 against the distance piece 17 3 thus opening the small firing valve 19, as is shown in Fig. 4. The air on the upper side of the piston valve 11 escapes through the small firing valve 19 to the atmosphere and the piston valve 11 owing to the pressure of its lower side being greater than on the upper, opens and permits of the passage of air through the pipe 121 to the torpedo tube 12. When the pressure in the air reservoir 10 has fallen to the predetermined pressure, the pressure on the diaphragm 15 is overcome by the action of the spring 161 and the plunger 16 moves and withdraws the distance piece 173 from between the striking lever 18 and the valve stem 191. The small firing valve 19 then closes and the pressure on both sides of the piston valve 11 becoming equal to the pressure in the air reservoir 10, the piston valve 11 under the action of the spring 112 closes and shuts off any further supply of air to the torpedo tube 12, the parts of the valve assuming the position shown in Fig. 5.

What we claim is 1. In torpedo discharging mechanism, an air reservoir, a diaphragm, one side of which is always open to the pressure in the air reservoir, firing mechanism, and an interrupter in the firing mechanism actuated by the diaphragm.

2. In torpedo discharging mechanism, an air reservoir, a diaphragm, one side of which is always open to the pressure in the air reservoir, a spring loaded plunger adapted to engage with the diaphragm, firing mechanism and an interrupter in the firing mechanism actuated by the plunger.

3. In torpedo discharging mechanism, an air reservoir, a diaphragm, one side of which is always open to the pressure in the air reservoir, a spring loaded plunger adapted to engage with the diaphragm, firing mechanism, a striking lever actuated by the firing mechanism, a pivoted lever actuated by the plunger, a'firing valve and a distance piece on the pivoted lever adapted to be Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7

moved between the striking lever and the firing Valve.

4. In torpedo dischargingmechanism, an air reservoir, a diaphragm one side of which is always open to the pressure in the air reservoir, firing mechanism, an interrupter in the firing mechanism actuated by the diaphragm, a torpedo tube, a pipe extending between the air reservoir and the torpedo tube and a piston valve in the pipe.

WILLIAM HART WADDINGHAM. ARTHUR TAYLOR.

Washington, D. 0. 

